India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the historic Atashgah Fire Temple in Baku on Friday, highlighting the cultural and historical links between India and Azerbaijan.
After visiting the site, Jaishankar described it as a symbol of the longstanding relationship between the people of the two countries. The temple is located near Surakhani, in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku.
Atashgah is known for its fire altar and inscriptions connected with Indian religious traditions. One inscription in Devanagari reads “Shri Ganeshaya Namah”. Five other Devanagari lines invoke Hindu deities, including the fire goddess Jwala Ji.
A temple marked by Indian inscriptions
According to the Indian Embassy in Baku, Atashgah contains 18 inscriptions in Devanagari. Most begin with an invocation to Lord Ganesha, while Jwala Ji is mentioned more than a dozen times.
The complex also contains Sanskrit and Punjabi writings associated with Hindu and Sikh traditions. The prayers refer to deities including Ganesha and Shiva, while reverence for the sacred fire is linked with Jwala Ji.
These inscriptions and the temple's fire altar connect the site with religious visitors and merchants who travelled from the Indian subcontinent to the Caspian region. Historical accounts describe the complex as a place used by Indian traders and pilgrims.
Natural flames and the meaning of Atashgah
The name Atashgah comes from Persian and means “house of fire”. The site lies on the Absheron Peninsula, where natural gas emerging from the ground once produced flames. Those fires helped give the location religious importance.
The earliest history of the site is associated with Zoroastrian traditions. However, the buildings visible today belong mainly to much later periods. The distinction matters because ancient beliefs linked with the location do not necessarily indicate that the existing structures are equally old.
UNESCO states that the buildings at Atashgah date from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The organisation also identifies the site's geographical setting as an important part of its history.
Pilgractivity increased again during the 17th century. An official account records that German traveller Engelbert Kaempfer, who visited in 1683, wrote that pilgrims had begun rebuilding the temple around the middle of that century.
Construction continued, and the complex reached its present form by the beginning of the 19th century.
Links with traders and pilgrims
Azerbaijan was part of the Silk Route, the network that connected Asia and Europe. The route helped create opportunities for trade, travel and cultural exchange across the region.
Documents submitted by Azerbaijan to UNESCO describe Atashgah as a pilgrsite and philosophical centre for devotees from Multan. Multan is now in Pakistan, but it formed part of wider commercial and religious networks across the Indian subcontinent.
Indian merchants and pilgrims supported the construction and maintenance of the complex and also used the site. Their presence illustrates how commercial journeys across the Caspian region were connected with religious travel.
A report published in The Hindu in 2018 by Divya Kumar described Atashgah as a historical heritage site shaped by history, global exchange and cultural contact between Europe and the Indian subcontinent. The report linked its history with the movement of Indian travellers and pilgrims during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The report also described Azerbaijan's reputation for natural flames and its association with the phrase “land of fire”. According to the account, travellers from the Indian subcontinent learned about the flames of the Absheron Peninsula before Indian visitors reached Atashgah.
From natural flames to a modern gas supply
Historical accounts describe flames emerging when gas from Azerbaijan's natural reserves passed through openings in the rocky ground and came into contact with air. The fires were regarded as “eternal flames” and were mentioned in travel accounts as far back as the 7th century.
The flames burning at the complex today are supplied by Baku's main gas pipeline. The central fire and the open flames on two circular platforms are therefore connected to a modern gas supply, while the site's earlier fires occurred naturally.
Atashgah's story combines the geography of the Absheron Peninsula with the movement of people across the Silk Route. Its inscriptions, religious references and architectural history provide evidence of contact involving Azerbaijan, Indian traders and pilgrims, and traditions from the Indian subcontinent.
Conclusion
Jaishankar's visit drew attention to Atashgah as a place where Azerbaijan's fire-worship traditions, Indian religious inscriptions and Silk Route connections meet. The site's present buildings date mainly from later centuries, while its wider history reaches across older religious and commercial networks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is the Atashgah Fire Temple?
Atashgah is near Surakhani in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Q. What does Atashgah mean?
Atashgah is a Persian name meaning “house of fire”.
Q. What Indian inscription is found at the temple?
One Devanagari inscription reads “Shri Ganeshaya Namah”.
Q. How many Devanagari inscriptions does the Indian Embassy mention?
The Indian Embassy in Baku mentions 18 Devanagari inscriptions at Atashgah.
Q. Which deities are mentioned in the inscriptions?
The inscriptions refer to Ganesha, Shiva and Jwala Ji, among other religious figures.
Q. When were the present buildings constructed?
UNESCO states that the buildings date from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Q. Who visited the site in 1683?
German traveller Engelbert Kaempfer visited the site in 1683 and recorded details about its rebuilding.
Q. Why did the site become associated with fire?
Natural gas emerging from the ground on the Absheron Peninsula produced flames and gave the location religious importance.
